The Castellan's Forgotten Chest

The chest opens with a reluctant groan, releasing the dry scent of lavender, old paper, and iron. Beneath a shawl lie a few tarnished household valuables, a steward's ledger, and letters sealed in the castle's faded crest. Most of the contents speak of ordinary life within the once-grand fortress, but one repeated phrase catches the eye: beneath the chapel steps. A child's wooden knight rests beside the papers, its painted shield turned toward the darkness beyond the chest.